Apparatus for generating acetylene



No. 618,734. v Patented Jan. 3|, I899. J. H. RUSS.

APPABATUS'FOR GENERATING A'CETYLENE.

(Application filed Aug. 26, 1898.)

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No. 6l8,734. Pa'tented'lan. 3|; I899.

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APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ADETYLENE;

(Application filed Aug. 25, 18 98.) (No Model.) Fifi 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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. irEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HOWVARD ROSS, OF ASTON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ACETYLENE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,734, dated January 31, 1899.

I Application filed Augnst 25, 189 8.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN HOWARD ROSS, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Aston, near Birmingham, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has for its objects to simplify the construction and working of apparatus for generating acetylene and to facilitate the separation and putting together of the parts of the apparatus for cleaning or repair; and my invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described for effecting these objects.

I will describe my invention in connectio with the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 represents, half in elevation and half in section, apparatus for generating acetylene constructed according to my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 represent a portion of the same in section drawn to a larger scale than Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents in plan the part represented in section in Figs. 2 and 3.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The apparatus constituting my invention consists of a vertical cylinder A, the bottom of which is conical and provided with a tap or stop-cock b for emptying the same from time to time of water and mud (calcium hydrate) produced in the working of the apparatus.

At or about the middle of the cylinder A is a short concentric inner cylinder a, joined at its bottom edge to the outer cylinder A, the space between whichinner cylinder at and outer cylinder A is filled with water for the reception of the outer shell or wall 0 of a double-walled diaphragm 0 which divides the cylinder A into two parts, a lower part, constituting the water-reservoir, and an upper part, constituting the gas generating chamber and gas-holder. The diaphragm c is dish-shaped or of the form of an inverted cone, and at its bottom it is provided with a valve 0 and the stem of said valve drops downward below the diaphragm and depends in the water-reservoir and rests on one end of a lever (l, to'the other end of which is con nected a vertical rod 6, occupying the axis of Serial No. 689,519. (No model.)

a smaller side cylinder f, by which water isintroduced into the large cylinder A. The lever d has its fulcrum d upon a bracket d projecting from the inner face of the cylinder A. When the screw closing-cap f of the small cylinder f is in place, the rod 6 is pressed down into the position represented in Fig. 1 and through the lever d raises the valve 0 and establishes communication beend of the side cylinder f. The Water in the water-reservoir can consequently be drawn off without loss of gas and without disturbing the working of the apparatus. A small pipe or'passage Zis provided, by which air may escape from the cylinder A into the small cylinder f on the filling of the water-reservoir.

At the top of the cylinderA is an outer concentric cylinder a*, the space between which and the cylinder A is nearly filled with Water, which forms when the inverted cylinder a which closes the top of the apparatus, is put in position a gas seal for the apparatus. The top of the inverted cylinder a carries a hollow drum or displacer (1 which reduces the capacity of the gas-generating chamber and effects automatically the operation of the calcium-carbid-discharging tubes or spouts in the manner hereinafter described.

The calcium carbid is stored in containers H H, (preferably two,) situated at opposite sides of the cylinder A and detachably connected thereto. Each container H has a delivery-spout h, the part it of which is of india-rubber or other flexible material; The extreme or delivery end of the spout his carried by a forked weightedlever h, supported by a bracket g, which weighted lever in the normal position of the parts-that is, when the gas-generating chamber or holder is full or partially filled with gas-preserves the de livery end of the spout h in the horizontal position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and represented in full lines in Fig. 2, the stops 7L3 of the weighted ends of thelevers engaging with the catches g on the bracketplate g To permit the attachment of the bracket 1 and its supporting-plate 9 an olfset g" is formed upon the side of the cylinder A, as shown most clearly in Fi 4. This offset is circular, and against its outer edge is laid an annulus y, then a ring g of any suitable packing, upon which is placed the flange of the bracket-plate 9 the whole being secured by bolts 9 having conical heads 9 their outer ends receiving thumb-nuts g This forms a gas-tight joint. The delivery end of the spout his preferably provided with a roller m for hearing on the bottom of the displacer a when the said displacer is in its lowest or nearly its lowest position. The delivery-spout h is provided with a stop-cock 7%.

Gas passes from the gas-generating chainher or holder by a pipe 11. (Indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1, 2, and

The working of the gas-generating chamber of the apparatus is as follows: The spout 71 being in the position Figs. 1 and 3, calcium carbid descends by gravity in the said spout and falls in to the water in the dish shaped diaphragm 0 By the action of the water on the calcium carbid acetylene gas is generated and the cylindrical closing-top a rises, the deliveryspout h being turned by the weighted lever 7t from its delivery position, Figs. 1 and 8, into its non-delivery position, Fig. 2. When by the withdrawal of the gas the rising and falling cylinder a has descended to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and represented in full lines in Fig. 2, the bottom of the displacer a comes in contact with the roller m, and the continued descent of the rising and falling cylinder a and displacer a eifects the depression of the delivery-spout 7t into the delivery position represented in Figs. 1 and 3.

Although I have represented and prefer to employ two carbid-containers H H in connection with the gas-generating chamber, yet I wish it to be understood that one carbid-eontainer only may be employed, or where thought necessary or desirable more than two may be employed.

In practice the apparatus is used as follows: The chamber or cylinder A is first filled with water, and during this operation the taps 72. by which the carbid is admitted, are shut off. \Vhen a suitable quantity of water has been admitted to the cylinder A, said taps h are opened and the air in the gas-holding chamber above the water is drawn off through the gas-delivery pipe i, thereby allowing the displacer a to descend, thereby carrying the carbid-discharging spouts h down to the illelined position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Carbid then flows from the containers II through the spouts 7L into the diaphragm 0 until the resulting evolution of gas raises the displacer a causing the spouts to assume the position shown in Fig. 2, by which the discharge of carbid is arrested until the flow of gas from the gas-chamber beneath the displacer allows the'latter to again descend.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas from calcium carbid,the combination with a cylinder containing water in its lower part, of a diaphragm above the Water-level, a valve in said diaphragm having'a weighted stem, a lever fulcrumed in the cylinder below the diaphragm and supporting the valve-stem on its end, a rod connected to the other end of said lever and lying in a side cylinder, and a cover for the latter to hold the rod down and keep the Valve in the diaphragm open, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas, the combination with a cylinder having a generating-chamber, of one or more carbid-containers having flexibly-jointed tubes which pass from their lower ends into said chamber, a lever fulcruined on a bracket in said chamber and having one end weighted and the other end connected to the tube of a container between the exit end of the latter, and the flexible joint, and a displacer operated by the gas in the gas-holder, the lower end of said displacer controlling the position of the exit end of each of said tubes, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas, the combination with a cylinder of a diaphragm dividing it into an upper and lower part, a valve having a weighted stem to close an opening'in the diaphragm, a lever to sustain said valve and stem, means for operating said lever from the exterior, one or more carbid containers having flexibly jointed tubes entering the cylinder above the diaphragm, a weighted lever for each container, one end of said lever being connected to the end of the tube of a container, and a displacer operated by the gas in the gas-holder, each weighted lever being provided with a roller which is in contact with said displacer, the rise and fall of the latter by the accumulation and Withdrawal of gas from the holder controlling the position of the exit end of each container-tube and regulating thereby the supply of carbid, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. JOHN IIOVVARD ROSS.

\Vitnesses:

RICHARD SKERRE'IT, ARTHUR JOHN POWELL.

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